Detoxing from vicodin Help!!!!!

[sethsmom23]

I am detoxing right now. I had been on vicodin for a year I tried my best to stick with the amount prescribed there were a few times I would take more. I feel like I am dying I have to quit cold turkey WHAT CAN I DO???? My heart is racing and I cant stop sweating or get any sleep. I am freaking out and I need some advice

[Crispy]

how long since you stop taking and how much were u taking?

[lonelyinCA]

You are going through the common w/d's and unless you had a very HEAVY habit, you are not going to have any risk of death. You need to do whatever it takes to make you feel better. Many options: excersize (walk around the block), sit in the sun, drink plenty of fluids, see the vitamin options (towards the bottom of the page: most pop. health pages), it's going to hurt a bit.  You need to get your body through this.  Everyone here knows how you feel...

Deep breaths and think hard about what is causing this... the meds.  I've tried several different drugs before in my life and nothing is worst coming off than the pills.  

Keep posting and reading others stories. It helps to know you are not feeling this way by yourself at this very minute.

[anewbeginning]

Try to stay calm, you will be okay...I PROMISE!! We do need a little more info though, like Crispy said, how much were u taking & what strength?

[anewbeginning]

The most important question is...do you want to quit or did you run out of meds?

[sethsmom23]

I was taking a minimum of 2000 mgs a day I would also drink in the afternoon to increase the high. This is not the first substance I have quit. My legs hurt so bad. I kind of want to quit but the big reason I am quiting is because they are not giving then to me anymore.

[sethsmom23]

The last time I took some was monday morning. I took the last that I had

[anewbeginning]

If you have already gone this long without, then you should just continue on & in a couple more days the physical w/d's will be done. Honestly though, if you only kinda want to quit, then you will more than likely find a way to get more. YOU HAVE TO REALLY REALLY WANT TO QUIT!! Best of luck to you!

[sethsmom23]

I want to quit just because I know that if I don't do it now it will be a lot harder to down the road. I guess I was just waiting for the doctor to say no more pain meds. When I knew I could get another refill and another and another I did not want to quit. I knew this day would come but I never imagined it to be this painful or bad. When I was 19 and found out I was pregnant I quit meth cold turkey after being on it for three years and that was not to hard to do so I did not think quiting vicodin after only a year would be so hard. This just sucks and I need so ideas on how to relieve the pain I have in my legs and how to get a full night of sleep. Last night I tried taking a sleep aid and that could not even keep me asleep through the night. Yeterday was the worst I actually had to leave work because I was sick to my stomach. Now my legs are killing me and my heart starts racing when I exert to much energy moving around the office.

[lonelyinCA]

When I was 17 I too quit Meth CT and just had a long sleep for a day or two, but as you mention, NOTHING like the feelings you are having from the Vic's. Think about that... Meth is probably the worst chemical compound a human can ingest and it didn't make you feel the way you are feeling now. What does that say about the power of the Vic's. It's crazy... and I know exactly how you feel.

I agree with others - keep the streak going.  Now is as good a time to quit as any.  A new RX will only make all of this harder in a short time.  

Smile and get outside if you can.  

You could always consider another child? Worked before!    : )

All joking aside, this has been a great place for me in the last day. Keep coming back here and telling us how you feel.  

[anewbeginning]

I would try advil for the leg pain, hot baths with epsom salt, or a heating pad. As for the sleep....that is a REALLY tough one & unfortunately it does take awhile for it to come back. You probably will have to just try alot of different things until you find what will work for you. I took 1 Unisom with (very important) Doxylamine sucinate as the active ingredient & 3-4 Melatonin 5mg. & I slept 7-9 hours with no problem. Alot of people here have tried many different things & they can give you lots of suggestions! I think Valerian Root is a good one too, if I remember correctly.Sleep in the bath tub if you have to, I lived in there for like 2 weeks! You are 100% right...you will have to eventually go through the withdrawals, so you might as well finish it off now & be happy & healthy. LOTS OF LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[addictedme]

I sincerly hope you quit using but should you use again taking pills and drinking is about the worst thing you can do to your liver,,gl

[louise65]

maybe see doc i used valium, clonidine and very hot epsom salt baths. also you need some over the counter meds for diarrhea and nausea .try the baths the salts seem to really help the leg pain good luck

[sethsmom23]

Thank you for all the advice. I am trying my hardest. I know I will make it, but right now it seems like I will never stop hurting or become comfortable. How long does the leg pain last???? It is good to know I have support even from people I dont even know. You guys rock!!!

[louise65]

honestly the leg pain does last a while but will leesen each day, try a simple analgesia and the epsom salts(youd think i had shares in the company but for me  it was the only thing that got rid off it!) try to have enough fluids as well, a little every hr,do you have someone supportive to help you?

[flmagi]

Call or go see your doctor and see if you can get some Clonidine. It should help. Its lowers your blood presure and helps with the aches etc.Maybe something for sleep too. Seroquel would probably do the trick. Use only as needed for the first 10-15 days. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and eat alittle. Days 2-4 are usually the worst. Day 5 should be a turning point, where you'll start feeling alittle better each day. Lack of sleep and energy tend to hang around for awhile longer, but also gets better as the days pass. Takeing walks or some form of exercise will help too and hot baths!!!
Good luck, hang in there and keep posting.

[sethsmom23]

My boyfriend who lives with me and my son is very supportive and so is my mother who has been by my side through every drug addiction and recovery I have had. I did noticed the bath I took last night helped greatly and I can't wait to get off work and go home and take another one. What is the wierdest is when I was on the vicodin I could eat like a horse now I dont want any food just orange juice. I don't want any more prescritions from the doctors for fear of getting hooked on something new. I have lorazapam for anxiety and I am afraid to even take that. I am strong and believe in myself enough to do it cold turkey with no other form of drugs to help. The only thing killing me right now is the pain. I have never felt like this before and getting through this with nothing to lean on in terms for getting rid of the pain is sooooo hard. I would rather give birth a hundred times then ever go through this again. It seems like I can never go without some way of getting high. I stay clean for awhile then get hooked on something new. That will be my biggest battle is trying to stay clean for the rest of my life and that scares me a lot right now.

[J_friend]

OK ... I'm rubbing my eyes here, and it doesn't seem like ANYONE has focused on this:  2,000 mgs of hydro a day?  That's a minumum of 200  10/325's a day  and 65,000 mg of APAP a day.  And with alcohol?  NO SALE over here ... that would result in death from liver damage FOR SURE if that was done over a year.

Now, did you mean 200 mg a day?  That's STILL quite a habit, and also VERY toxic to the liver when taken with a lot of booze ... VERY toxic.

[sethsmom23]

Vicodin i prescribe in a minimum 5/500 that is 5 milligrams of hydrocodine and 500 milligrams of acetaminophen so I was taking a minimum of 2000 mgs a day that would be four vicodins minimum a day for a year and I never said a lot of booze. I know my **** so before you start talking **** next time look up the facts. You can go to kp.org and look up prescription drugs and their prescribed amounts thank you very much. I am 98 pounds so yeah what I was taking was a lot for my little body and yes you can become addicted. I may not have been as bad as other people, but this is also my third dance with the prescription pills. I joined here to get advice from people on how to make my recovery easier not listen to you bash me and call me a fake.

[J_friend]

I apologize if I upset you Sethsmom - it wasn't my intention.  The internet can be a place where people enjoy playing odd pranks ... even on forums such as this.  When people ask "how much" you were taking and you reply at least 2000 mgs. - the number of mgs people respond with usually refers to the addictive ingredient (hydrocodone with vicodin).  For example, if someone states they're taking 100mgs of vicodin a day, it would mean ten 10mg pills or twenty 5 mg pills.  Anyway, when you wrote 2,000 mgs and no one responded, it just surprised me.  I originally thought you were taking 200mg's a day (which many people have) - and that's a rather nasty habit. If you read my last paragraph, I responded to the possibility that you were taking 200 mgs - and I definitely wasn't bashing you ... I was just adamant in saying that booze mixed with such a high dosage is VERY toxic to your liver - and it WILL kill you at that rate.

Again, I didn't mean to offend you.  Let's move on and look at your situation:  You were taking a minimum of four 5mg. vicodin a day and you stopped on Monday, no?   You definitely are going through withdrawals; however, if you're still hanging in there - it's Thursday - you should be getting through the roughest physical part of this process.

It's the mental/emotional aspect to this which is the toughest aspect in recovery - the depression, etc.  The good news is that your dosage wasn't extremely high, and I bet you'll be able to get through this.  Hang in there, and once again, sorry for the misunderstanding.  :)

[worried878]

glad u r quitting and just want to give u a pat on the back!...ur dose is not high at all and u should be able to do this without alot of hard times...lots of support here and keep posting...stay on ur toes

[rob8080]

4 5mgs pills a day for a year is nothing really,,ur wds should be gone less thn a week..i was on 60-80mgs if hydro /oxy everyday for 4yrs & it took me 13days to get thru wds..it was the longest 13days of my life,,but it feels good not waking up worrying bout pills or spending all day tryin to find some,,,i use to take for fun years ago a  few times a month & never got addicted till i hurt my shoulder & went threw surgery & was on percaset from dr for a yr thn dr switched to vics,,but now my life is back to normal & take some a few times a month for fun & not get addicted

[lonelyinCA]

Hang in there... the others are right - 20mg of Vic is not too much and you should start feeling better by the end of this week.  I'll be interested to know how you are feeling today (Day 3?) and again this weekend.

I was on 200mg of Hydro and tapered off in about 4 days - fast - and had a great night sleep last night (on night 2). And other than a tight back, no other pains today. I understand you are small and it may take a few more days but it will be gone. It will not stick around.  Keep chatting with us.

[rob8080]

200mgs of hydro a day,,my god how mych tylo was u taking?,,,i was takin 60mgs of hydro & took oxycontin along with it just to keep the tylo under 6000mgs a day

[lonelyinCA]

I doesn't sound like sethsmom was on 200mg of Hydro. She was on 20mg/day, which because I believe she was on 5/325 - she was only taking 1300mg of tylo/day. Still doesn't mean the w/d's are not painful.

I was taking 200mg of Hydro/day and those were 10/500 - so that's like 10,000/mg of tylo, which is terrible on the liver.

Anyway - I'm hoping sethsmom is doing better today.  

[sethsmom23]

I was on 5/500 mgs. Today was a bad day. I havebeen feeling like I cant breath or catch my breath the last couple days and today on my way to work in my car I had a panic attack and my mother had to take me to the hospital. After reading everything I guess I was on 20 mgs of hyrdo and 2000 mgs of tylenol. Sorry for snappng at J_Friend I am just an emotional wreck right now. I have been able to eat a bit more today. Last night I kept getting stomach cramps and milk made me sick. The doctor gave me some anti anxiety pills which are okay because I have never been addicted to them and don't see how people become addicted maybe they are just not my cup of tea so I will try those for the next couple of days and see if they help. I thought I was going to die this morning from not being able to breath. This was only the second panic attack I have had in my life. I will keep everyone updated.

[Beargizmo]

I had a number of panic attacks when getting off of vikes..I always kept a klonipin or 2 with me just in case.  That was when I finally worked up the nerve to leave the house..my wife and I went to the mall one day and I just about lost it there..thank you
klonipin..

hang in there..and good luck.

[broknbck]

You are lucky that you have a doctor to help you out. That's great!

I remember the panic and it seemed like sheer horror. My brother teaches yoga and he showed me how to use controlled breathing to calm down. It really does help.
Try to relax as much as possible. Your physical should be over soon.

[rob8080]

panic attack over a 20mg for only a year habbit,,i think ur missing the high more thn the wds ..theres been times during my 4yrs where i was taking 4 oxycontin 20s a day along with the 60mgs of hydro for up to 3months str8 & never had a panic attack where i needed a dr..& i was crushing the oxys...out of the 4yrs id say i was taking a 40mgs of oxy 2-3 a week with the everyday use of hydro

[lonelyinCA]

Well.. everyone is different.  I too haven't had any panic attacks, but I can imagine that would be very scary. I do know those who have had attacks (w/o pills) and they are scared to death of them.

Hang in there sethsmom. It WILL improve. Stay positive.

[sethsmom23]

Thanks everyone. I think it is just how my body reacts when i stop taking drugs. The only other time I had a panic attack was when i was detoxng off of meth about 4 years ago. They are very scary. I think the physical stuff is over now I just have to deal with the mental and emotional part which probably contributed to my panic attack. Thank you all of you for being here and talking to me about this you guys have helped me a lot. I am hoping that in a couple of days I will be back to normal. Everyday seems to get better with the exception of this morning.

[s10sittnondubs]

Everyone here wants to help no one here wants to lash out at you.  We all know how you feel right now and its scary.  My worst w/d's were when I ran out of Suboxone on accident pretty late in recovery that was a scary time and when I realized that it was just as bad as the drugs I had been taking.  You've made it this far the worst is already behind you.  You will get better trust me this is my 10th day sober and it feels like a 100 and it feels like its made me older and stronger already.  Taking 4-5 5mg Vicodin's a day isn't bad don't even think about it you can't change it anyways.  Stay in good spirts it will only get better for you.

[sethsmom23]

So tonight I finally had enough energy to clean my kitchen which felt like it was very hard BUT I DID IT!!!! Hopefully I will feel back to my old self soon. Does anyone have a cure or know of something that will help with my upset stomach. Every time I eat I get an upset stomach and have this empty feeling in the pit of my stomach

[worried878]

Walmart has some liquid anti-nausea med that works wonder and costs like 3 bicks...tastes ucky like cherry but it works